There is a lot of talk about horror fans being
sick and tired of remakes, and homages, and films
that don't take their subject matter seriously.
A lot of fans call for a throwback style to the
movies of the seventies and eighties, the Texas
Chainsaws, The Last Houses, the original Friday
the 13ths and their ilk. The movies that a lot
of us grew up loving and that had enough notoriety
so that when younger fans of the genre got introduced
to horror, they too went back and enjoyed these
glorious, gory-ous tales of terror. Every time
a new director comes onto the scene we all hope
that he is the next big thing who will put the
horror back into horror, but a lot of the time
we end up disappointed. First time writer/director
Christopher Smith's feature Creep is an excellent film that throws back to those
days of gore, carnage, but most importantly…solid
storytelling. This is a solid British horror film,
which is enjoyable from start to finish.

Hard nosed career girl, Kate (Franke Potente)
is a young up coming type, who after a work party,
misses her lift to another party, where she hopes
to hook up with George Clooney and decides instead
to take a tube train. While sitting waiting for
the train, she dozes off, only to wake and find
herself alone, and locked in the Underground station.
Trapped in the subway, she encounters something
that lives within the tunnels… something
with her death in mind…

It is from such simple plot ideas that a weak
horror movie could emerge, but in the hands of
first timer Smith, it comes across as a great
pseudo-slasher that really shines. The script
really works as Smith has chosen to ignore the
standard Hollywood horror teen stereotypes and
has gone with realistic people, who speak and
act in a realistic manner, with a special mention
going to Sean Harris (24 Hour Party People),
with his portrayal of Craig. The locations within
the London Underground and the sets are spectacular
and incredibly creepy. Along with all this comes
some excellent lighting that really defines the
difference between the worlds of ours above the
ground, and what dwells beneath. The soundtrack
by The Insects is another great aspect of this
film that gives it such an effective atmosphere.
If this is what his first horror film is like,
I can't wait to see what else Christopher
Smith has up his sleeve.

Video

Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, the
visuals on this film are great.

Audio

The soundtrack is in Dolby 5.1, and is really
atmospheric, both with the effects and the score.

Extra Features

Behind the Scenes (25 minutes 45 seconds) is an
interesting look at a first time directors ideas
for doing his first film. From his choice of actors
to cinematographers, this Behind the Scenes actually
has some substance; instead of one of those Hollywood
10 minutes advertisements for how much all the cast
love each other and the director (even though there
is a little bit of this as well).

Interviews (14 minutes 55 seconds) are a little
superfluous as most of these small pieces were edited
into the Behind The Scenes documentary.

Trailer (1 minute 45 seconds) is obviously a trailer
for the movie Creep.

The Photo Gallery is just ten photos taken during
the filming of Creep.

The Verdict

A great new horror film that at no time makes
light of its subject. This film has great acting,
a good solid script with realistic dialogue, decent
gore and best of all, no teeny bopper TV Hits types.
A real treat, although there a few scenes that may
make our female horror fans cringe.

Originally born unto this world as Terror Australis.net back in March 2002, Digital Retribution is a proudly Australian website devoted to all things horror, cult, and exploitation that strives to promote Australian films and filmmakers while sharing its questionable taste in ultra-violent smut-laden local and international offerings with the rest of the world.